Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT).

God wants us to be thankful in all circumstances. The Greek word translated in this verse as all means “any, every, the whole.” That covers everything – the good, the bad, the easy, and the difficult. You get the picture.

Yet, it can be hard to be thankful when we’re going through a challenging season. In those times, we need to remember that God’s commands are always good, even when we can’t see the why.

It’s good to be thankful because God has been gracious to us. He has saved us, and He works through the hard things to bring us closer to Him. Not only that, the act of gratitude benefits us physically. The more we’re focused on what’s good in our lives, the less we’re thinking about what’s wrong.

As Thanksgiving draws near, here are three steps you can take to fulfill God’s command to be thankful.

 

1. Remember God’s faithfulness.

Set aside time to recall all that God has done for you and your family this year. “He has made His wonderful works to be remembered” (Psalm 111:4 NKJV). If you need some guidance, my book, Ebenezer Stones, is all about the ways God is faithful in our lives.

Sit down with paper and a pen. Then, pray and ask God to remind you of what He’s done in your life. As you remember God’s faithfulness, write it down. Keep the list so you can pull it out when things feel bleak. Remembering God’s past faithfulness will help you to trust Him with whatever you’re going through in the present.

 

2. Pray.

Spend some time going through the list you made. Meditate on the specifics of how God came through for you. Follow the psalmist’s example to not just “remember the works of the Lord,” but also to “meditate” on them (Psalm 77:11–12 NKJV).

Thank God for everything He has done. As the psalmist declared, “Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” (Psalm 107:11 NKJV). Verbalize your gratefulness to Him.

 

3. Publicly Proclaim God’s faithfulness.

The psalmist committed to be thankful to God “in the great assembly” and to praise God “among many people” (Psalm 35:18 NKJV). Each year, our church has a Thanksgiving banner service. It’s a sweet time of publicly professing God’s goodness.

Tell others about God’s faithfulness. Take time during your Thanksgiving dinner to recount to your family and friends how God has worked in your life. Give God the glory. It all belongs to Him (Revelation 4:11).

So, be thankful. Remember God’s faithfulness. Thank Him for all He’s done for you. Then, publicly proclaim His goodness this Thanksgiving season as you walk by faith with Him.

 

 

Photo by Patrick Hendry on Unsplash